Valve for tank-cars.



J F. EWELL. VALVE FOR TANKCARS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1914.

PatentedAug. 1?, 1915.

@mgwm Fgwm ERA JOHN FRANKLIN EWELL, OF CHKCAGO, ILLINOI.

VALVE FOR TAN KC1-i.lt$.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1914. fierial No. 525,113.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN FRANKL'IN EWELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement'in Valves for Tank-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my sai'dl'invention, taken in connection with theirccompanyipg sheet of drawings, forms a full, clean and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which iteppertains to make and use the same.

This inventid relates to valves in general and to valve for tank cars in particular and has for its ob'ect the provision 0t an operating mechagiisin for such a valve Which will maintain the same in its open or closed positions. i

Tank car valves as generally made have a valve seating in the car bottom and avalve adapted to rest thereon. The valve proper has an upstanding stem guided in a yoke formed integral with the valve seating. In some cases this yoke is internally tapped and the valve stempossessed of a mating external thread, whereby by rotation of the stem the said valve is seated or unseated. The valve stem in all cases arises into the dome of the car vithin which the said stein terminates in a hand lever, hand Wheel, or other means for hand rotation oil the stem.

These rotation means are variously supplied with lock nuts, padlocks, and similar devices to maintain the 'alve' stem in a set position. But the vibration of the car in travel. the various distortions created, and the constant stresses and reversals thereof which are set up. all tend to a loosening of the alve stem from its lock and a constantly increasing oscillation thereof until the valve has sutliciently receded from its seat to cause it to leak.

The present invention is designed to cause the valve to remain seated upon its seat, irrespective of the constant vibration, distortion. and stress reversals continuously takinp place in a structure of the class described while the same is in motion and loaded to its full capacity.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all

as hereinafter more fully described, claimed the drawings, 10 designates a tank car of the usual construction having the diametrically opposed inlet and discharge opening 11 and 12, respectively, the inlet opening 1 being surrounded by the customary dome 13. it. valve stem 14-. extends from one side of the dome 13 to the discharge opening 12 where it passes through'a guide 15 which spans said discharge opening.- This valve stem is adjustable to its length by means of a turnbuckle 16 menial ofi itsjlength or any other suitable o adapt-able device. .ne lower end of the stem l t. has a valve secured thereto so that the same is seated in the discharge opening 12 or removed therefrom by the reciprocation or" the said stem.

In order to reciprocate the stem ll and to maintain it in position, a support 17 is interposed between the Walls or" the dome, through which the upper end of the stem ll freely and loosely projects. Secured to the support 17 upon each side of the 551.9131 14 is an upstanding spring tempered blade or bar 18, which bars are susceptible of do fiection at their upper ends in either diroction upon application of forces in the proper direction,

forces; the normal, unstressed position of" said blades being slightly toward each other at their upper ends. A pair of centrally pivoted together toggle links 19 (the central pivot of which also forms the support for and to return to their normal positions upon the removal or such open position, the weight of the valve and stem creating a stored force or energy in the blades 18, which is expressed in their deflection. Fixed t one of the links 19 there is a hand lever 20, its free end thereof contacting with the shell of the tank 10 to arrest any possible upward movement of the stem 1 1: and toggle links 19 under the influence of the stored energy in the spring blades 18.

When it is desired to close the valve 22. the lever 20 is lifted in order to assist the toggle links'in enforcing a suflicient deflection in the blades 18 to allow said toggle to pass the critical or lock point, whereupon the total stored energy in the deflected blades expresses itself in a sudden downward force upon stem 14, through the links 19, and in this downward force the blades are assisted by the weight of the stem and valve, thereby firmly seating said valve upon its seat and maintaining it there. When the valve is seated, there is still an amplitude of stored energy in the blades 18 to maintain said valve upon said seat under all operating conditions. It will thus he seen that no amount of vibration or distortion of the tank car or body itself will affect this downward force of the blades as long as the shell of the tank itself is not wrecked and the relationship of the parts of the valve mechanism entirely destroyed,

It will be noted that the toggle links and spring bars not only act to maintain the valve in its seat with a spring tension but also to hold the valve stem and valve in an elevated. unseated or open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The advantage of this construction is that it is double acting, serving to hold the valve and. its stem in either of its two positions with sufiicient spring tension to prevent any unintentional involuntary movement from one position to another through vibration or other cause.

The spring bars 18 as shown are constructed of straight flat thin strips of suitable metal. The l'lat springs 18, are sufii ciently still to support the bar 20 with its outer portion elevated when the parts are in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3.

While herein I have disclosed the preferred method of practising my invention, I desire it understood that I may make such changes and alterations therein as might suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic or permitted under the doctrine of equivalents.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention I claim as new and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In combination, a tank body and a valve seat therein, of a valve adapted to close against said seat, a stem for said valve, a pair of toggle links pivoted at their inner ends to the valve stem and'spring bars pivoted at their upper ends to the outer ends of the toggle links and rigidly fastened at their lower ends to the tank body.

2. In combination, a tank body and a valve seat therein, of a valve adapted to close against said seat, a stem for said valve, a pair of toggle links pivoted at their inner ends to the valve stem and spring bars pivoted at their upper ends to the outer ends of the toggle links and rigidly fastened at their lower ends to the tank body; said spring bars being straight. flat and thin.

3. In combination, a tank body and a valve seat therein, of a valve adapted to close against said seat, a stem for said valve, a pair of toggle links pivoted at their inner ends to the valve stem. spring bars pivoted at their upper ends to the outer ends of the toggle links and rigidly fastened at their lower ends to the tank body, and a comparatively long lever bar attached at one end to one of the toggle links and adapted to contact with its outer end against the tank body to limit the opening movement of the valve stem and valve.

In testimony whereof-I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN FRANKLIN EVVELL. In the presence of WILLIAM O. STARK, C. S. STARK. 

